Since 2008, the Falcons’ record against the Saints is misleading. If you throw out the 14 point Atlanta win in Week 9 in ’08, the games have been decided by 4, 8, and a string of four straight games where only three points decided the outcome (including this year’s first contest). And two of those three-point games were decided in overtime.

In their last trip the Crescent City in Week 3 of the 2010 campaign, the Birds left on a high note with a 27-24 victory in an extra period.

One of the keys in the game was the fact that Atlanta didn’t turn the ball over and converted key opportunities in the red zone.

TE Tony Gonzalez (13-yard pass in first quarter) and RB Michael Turner (1-yard run in second quarter) delivered the red zone touchdowns when presented opportunities in the first half.

After a back-and-forth first 30 minutes ended in a 14-14 tie, the Falcons took the lead in the third quarter on a 23-yard field by K Matt Bryant. New Orleans answered with a WR Lance Moore 16-yard touchdown catch to close out the quarter with a slim 21-17 advantage.

QB Matt Ryan marched the Birds methodically down the field on an impressive nine-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 22-yard scoring toss to WR Roddy White for a 24-21 lead, with less than six minutes to go.

The Saints would tie it with four seconds left to send the game into overtime.

But the Falcons knew it was their game to go win and they secured the victory on the heels of a strong 12 play, 52-yard drive, ending with a Bryant 46-yard field goal to claim a hard-fought 27-24 win.

With two evenly matched teams, like the Falcons and Saints, facing off in a huge game, confidence plays a big factor. The Birds know they have won at the Superdome recently and came back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the score in the first game in Atlanta this season.

As a national TV audience awaits on Monday Night Football, the Falcons fly to New Orleans feeling very confident about their chances.